His surgically repaired left knee has healed. World Peace recently promoted his children’s book. And he reports feeling refreshed from an otherwise disappointing season.

Even with uncertainty lingering about his Lakers future, World Peace professed he hasn’t worried about it. That’s because he said he’s deferred to his agent, Marc Cornstein, on whether he will exercise his $7.7 million player option for next season.

“I don’t want to think off emotions. I hired my agent for a reason,” World Peace said Tuesday in a phone interview with this newspaper. “So I’ll let him and the Lakers do their job to try to keep me a Laker for long term.”

Cornstein recently told this newspaper that discussions remain “premature” since World Peace has until June 25 to decide his future. But one source familiar with World Peace’s thought process believes he will exercise his option to stay for the 2013-14 season.

Either decision carries some risk.

Should World Peace exercise his player option, the Lakers could waive him using the one-time amnesty provision. World Peace would still earn his salary, but the move would save the Lakers in luxury taxes. Should World Peace opt out, there’s a chance the Lakers wouldn’t re-sign him to a long-term deal even at a less expensive rate in hopes to maximize cap flexibility in the 2014 offseason.

Assuming Dwight Howard returns, only he and Steve Nash would be under contract beyond next season.

How difficult has it become to weigh such scenarios?”It’s not really a challenge,” said World Peace, who averaged 12.8 points on 40.5-percent shooting, his highest scoring output in four seasons with the Lakers. “The Lakers have more of a challenge. They have some decisions to make. It’s a very well-run organization so they’ll make the best decision for the Lakers.”

Those decisions hinge on Howard’s future. He plans to test free agency beginning July 1 and will consider teams such as the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.

“That’s Dwight’s choice. It’s not really up to me,” World Peace said. “I’m a big Dwight supporter so I don’t really need to tell him how much I support him anymore considering as much as I did all season. Through the ups and downs, I was there for him.

“I like him as a person and I hope he makes the best decision for himself.”

In what he dubbed his “own little world,” World Peace has other things on his mind.

He described his surgically repaired left knee that hobbled him in the Lakers’ first-round loss to San Antonio as “better.” World Peace plans to revamp his offseason workouts beginning June 15 in hopes he can maintain his 245-pound frame at 6 percent body fat.

Meanwhile, World Peace published a 34-page children’s book titled “Metta’s Bedtime StoriRNes.” A portion of those proceeds will benefit World Peace’s foundation, Xcel University, which helps various mental health charities.

Some of the proceeds will also help the Artest Foundation, which supports inner-city youth.

“This is one step in the right direction to get parents closer to their child,” World Peace said. “You can always make time to read to your child every night.”

World Peace also has narrowed in one particular book that he wants to read.

Phil Jackson’s new book titled “Eleven Rings” is a 339-page memoir that touches basically on everything — his 11 NBA championships, comparisons to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and his Zen-like teachings. The book also touches on Jackson’s relationships with his players, including World Peace.

Jackson reflected on his time coaching the former Ron Artest from 2009-11 by praising his defense, personality and hustle that helped secure the Lakers a 2010 NBA championship. Jackson also expressed concern about World Peace’s familiarity with the triangle offense, his shot selection and sensitivity to criticism.

“If Phil criticizes me and I didn’t like it, but it was intelligent, I respect it and support it,” World Peace said. “Some people will argue he talks too much. I would argue that. But I love the book because he’s so honest.”

“The thing with Phil is he challenged me. I never got challenged like that before.”

World Peace sounds eager for more challenges — so long as they include him in a Lakers uniform.

“If I come in the same way I did last year and everybody comes back better,” he said, “we’ll be a really tough team to beat.”

Mark Medina has been the Lakers beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News since 2012. He also works as a Lakers insider for AM570 and is heard on national radio outlets, including The Dan Patrick Show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, The Chris Mannix Show, Fox Sports Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Yahoo! Sports Radio and SB Nation Radio. Medina also appears frequently on Spectrum SportsNet and NBC4's "Going Roggin."